The two spot still belongs to Batch, but Dixon is looking more comfortable. If Dixon can't win the two outright, he is at least progressing well. Dixon will get a LOT of work this preseason, and needs better timing on deep routes and outs.

While some fret over Mendenhall not meeting expectations after one exhib game, those tend to be the same folks who are ready to give Redman a roster spot after beating up on the Cardinals scrubs after that same one exhib. Two things: Mendenhall will be fighting for time against an again-healthy Parker, and that story may play out slowly over the course of the season, with Mendenhall's proportionate workload increasing gradually.

But Redman has certainly opened some eyes at camp, and has gotten quality time against the Steeler D first team. Carey Davis, who can grind out two tough yards when the team needs three, is by all expert accounts a roster lock, presumably because no rookie could conceivably do as well on teams. Summers, only a month ago heralded as the next next-Bettis, seems to be caught on the outside looking in. Redman, Davis, and Summers all need to show that they can lead block, get the short yardage, and contribute on teams. If Summers doesn't make the cut, he will likely be a PS priority.

The Arians-era schizophrenia over the role of the FB does confuse the issue as well. If RBs 4 and 5 are supposed to have some FB ability, what about the TE3, presumably Sean McHugh or David Johnson? How much traditional FB cattle-clearing will we actually see? Are the hybrid backs mostly going to be needed to catch dumpoff passes and get the short, brutal yardage?

Sweed looked an awful lot like Plaxico, sans lead to the thigh, on the underthrow by Batch. Still battling inconsisteny, Sweed could really turn it on in weeks to come and become much more than Nate Washington ever was for us. His second year needs to be a big step up. Meanwhile, Mike Wallace isn't showing many first year yips, and is just begging to be used as a kick returner, trick play specialist, and fourth wideout in the spread. This guy can kill. Shaun MacDonald looked like a guy who could play a niche role, the Ced Wilson sort of thing, but Wallace is pushing him hard. Wallace and Sweed still have work to do, but wow. Just wow.

Miller and Miller Lite get the lion's share of the action in the Arians playbook, including the fabulous 2-TE sets. McHUgh and Johnson have to show they can block effectively (questionable), and possibly contribute as hybrid TE/FB lead blockers for the RBs.

Possible Practice Squad Material: David Johnson.

LT

Key Departures: Marvel Smith.

Locks: 17. Max StarksOn the bubble: 18. Tony Hills, Jason Capizzi

Hills and Capizzi are both listed on the Steelers site as LTs (and only Colon is listed as a RT), but both are trying to stick as swing tackles. Both have shown some improvement, but neither looks particularly ready to guard the blind side against top talent, and both might be better situated at RT. LT depth is a concern, and Starks ain't exactly Robinson Crusoe, a guy who can make it on an island.

When Stapleton returns, Essex becomes the top LT backup as well as an OG swingman.

Foster is actually listed rather generically as "OT" on the official site, but he's been the talk of the OL thus far. He's making a strong push to make the roster, and may have a better shot at this point than Urbik, who needs to step up. Foster can likely backup either OG spot and RT. A good sized player with a streak of mean.

Essex hasn't exactly dominated as a RG, so he will likely be forever consigned to backing up all positions save C. Stapleton, who switched from C to RG last year, looks like a guy who has position flexibility without dominating anywhere. Call it a gut feeling, but I think the emergence of Foster, coupled with strong play from Legursky, could actually put Stapleton on the bubble. But in the end, he'll win a spot.

Crazy prediction of the week: The starting OL will be Starks, Kemo, Hartwig, Stapleton, and Colon to begin the season, but somewhere along the line Foster will displace Stapleton.

Possible Practice Squad Material: Kraig Urbik.

RT

Locks: 25. Willie Colon On the bubble: None.Cuts: None.

Essex, Hills, and Foster (if he makes it) will provide depth at RT as well.

Ziggy will get some situation playing time, and Eason may be kept for vet depth. Neither Eason nor Kirschke fill one's heart with joy, but the rookies will have a learning curve until they can fill in for any stretch.

Davis is starting to show some signs of life, but is it too little too late? Arnold Harrison is a capable backup, and carrying 3-deep may not be feasible. Bailey is a special teams guy who needs to show much more than he has to be worth anything as a depth guy.

Woods may be the best bet for additional depth behind Timmons. He was the starting QB at Oklahoma St. before transitioning to safety, and while his biggest contribution has come on STs, he could benefit from sticking to a position and learning another year under Coach Butler. Woods has been around the ball a lot and has good awareness.

Note: The Ravens picked up UDFA ILB Dannell Ellerbe out of Georgia. I had Ellerbe rated pretty highly, but character concerns apparently dropped him. He's been pushing Tavares Gooden hard for the LB spot vacated by Bart Scott. If the Ravens were to try sneaking Ellerbe onto the PS, I would think very seriously about putting Woods on our PS and signing Ellerbe to the 53-man roster to back up Timmons.

Lewis has had a rookie learning curve, and will need some time in this system. I still think he may be better suited to a switch to FS, where we are very thin. Madison is a teams guy who can back up corner, but won't ever be the quality guy McFadden was or Gay was when they were in the role. Roy Lewis was another guy I thought might get some action at FS, but it looks like he's considered strictly CB, and he may have hit his ceiling. On the upside, despite being on the 53-man for a few weeks last year, Roy Lewis has PS eligibility.

The guy from CBS loves Ratliff and says he's a lock. I don't see it. Deshea is still a solid vet depth and role guy, and Burnett is a lock IMO based on big upside as a PR and some nice heady play at CB. In fact, Tomlin's referred to Burnett (jokingly) as Deshea. He's in.

Mundy is a little disappointing so far, and if either S starter gets dinged we are in huge trouble. I still don't buy that Townshend will switch to S, though. If that happens by some chance, Mundy is still PS-eligible.

Possible Practice Squad Material: Ryan Mundy.

SS

Locks: 24. Troy PolamaluOn the bubble: 25. Tyrone CarterCuts: None.

Carter is old and slow, but we need vet depth. Ugh.

Defense: 25players.

PK

1. Jeff Reed

Reed is in a contract year.

Thanks for Coming to Camp: Piotr Czech.

P

2. Daniel Sepulveda

The punting game should see an immediate improvement over the nightmare of Berger and Ernster. Thanks for Coming to Camp: Dirk Johnson

Indeed! I would love to figure out a way to get rid of this guy. Can Mundy play strong? Or maybe one of the CBs? He doesn't cover well. I've seen him miss big tackles. No upside. And I feel we would be letting true talent go with whatever CB is the odd man out.

Indeed! I would love to figure out a way to get rid of this guy. Can Mundy play strong? Or maybe one of the CBs? He doesn't cover well. I've seen him miss big tackles. No upside. And I feel we would be letting true talent go with whatever CB is the odd man out.

When I did my pre=camp review in June, I floated two guys: Keenan Lewis, who definitely has the size to play safety, who has the ball skills, and who could in the meantime also pick up some CB package duties; and Roy Lewis, who had a good camp and made the 53-man briefly last year, and played FS at Washington.

After Batch retires to become our QB coach, on his way to becoming OC after Tomlin finally gets fed up and gives Arians the boot halfway through a 4-4 season. Batch's playcalling then leads us to 11 straight wins in 2010 to give us the first trifecta in the Super Bowl era.

Seriously though, I hope that Batch moves onto our coaching staff, as I believe that he has the potential to be a great coach.

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But Redman has certainly opened some eyes at camp, and has gotten quality time against the Steeler D first team.

And has apparently found success against that defense. I think that's the biggest indicator that he makes the team--you don't run a guy against the starters unless you see some serious potential. And you don't score TDs against the Stiller D unless you're pretty good and hitting the right gap (if our line actually creates a gap).

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Carey Davis, who can grind out two tough yards when the team needs three, is by all expert accounts a roster lock, presumably because no rookie could conceivably do as well on teams.

As for Davis, . I'm not thinkin' about it anymore cause I ain't never gonna figure this one out. The guy cannot play to the level worthy of a Steeler fullback.

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Wallace and Sweed still have work to do, but wow. Just wow.

Agreed. When Plax finally got it (as much as he was going to get it) in year 2, it was awesome. I see Sweed having the POTENTIAL to do that.

The Plax situation was different from Sweed, though, for many reasons. First and foremost, Kordell was in his seventh year in the NFL, and we were still trying to find a way to succeed within his limitations. In a lot of ways, he was Vick Lite. We had just endured some pretty poor years, when we just didn't have very good grasp of the salary cap, when our starters (not to mention our depth) were not that impressive, and we just hadn't established the expectation and culture of excellence. Seriously, compare depth charts from '98-01 to those of '05-'09.

Plax and Sweed have similar builds, and Plax had his share of rookie inconsistencies (remember the SPIKE?!). But heading into his second season, the 2001 season (13-3, the Patriots fiasco in the AFCC), most observers felt Kordell was a flop. Plax helped make Kordell's season, and was a target to be accounted for when Maddox and Ben played. He certainly seemed to help Eli, although Ben rebounded better after Plax left. MY point here being, Plax had little competition in 2001. He HAD to come through, because there was really no other talent of note there. Thinking back, there was Hines (the MAN) and Plax, and who else? Troy Edwards, "Superman" Bobby Shaw, Will Blackwell, Tim Baker, Lenzie Jackson... I remember those early noughts rosters well. Every camp, the key word was "drops." We looked for anything that resembled talent, hoping for some diamond in the rough. Guys made our roster who wouldn't even be sniffed at for today's practice squad. Seriously, Tim Baker? Lenzie Jackson?!

Sweed doesn't have that "high first round" set of expectations, but he's definitely a guy who could have been drafted first round. And he's a guy who, if he applies himself, could step into a starting role when Hines retires or if Holmes moves in FA. But it's less a sense of, for want of a better word, entitlement, which Plax may have felt back when he was coming up. He basically knew he'd be handed a starting job if he could play halfway decently. Sweed, if he plays decently, will be holding off Shaun MacDonald and Mike Wallace, and if I were Sweed, it'd be Wallace I'd be keeping my eye on. If he's playing this lights-out as a rook -- the guy doesn't have butterflies, he shat and flushed them -- wait till next year. I think you can line Wallace up at any spot, flanker, end, slot, and he's going to excel. Sweed and Wallace may someday be a nice 1-2 punch, but as it is now they're behind a couple of SB MVPs. Not a bad predicament for us, but there's some pressure on Sweed.

And since we have so much WR talent, I don't see the Sweed getting the percentage of looks that Mularkey (rookie year as OC) sent Plax's way... UNLESS the matchups really favor us AND Arians has the smarts to exploit them.

wait till next year. I think you can line Wallace up at any spot, flanker, end, slot, and he's going to excel. Sweed and Wallace may someday be a nice 1-2 punch,

I was thinking about this too. Two years from now, Sweed and Wallace lined up outside, Holmes in the slot, Miller the TE and Mendy in the backfield, and our first round linemen in front of Ben....The Greatest show on ...sloppy turf.

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"Fanatics are picturesque. Mankind would rather see gestures than listen to reason." - Friederich Nietzsche

wait till next year. I think you can line Wallace up at any spot, flanker, end, slot, and he's going to excel. Sweed and Wallace may someday be a nice 1-2 punch,

I was thinking about this too. Two years from now, Sweed and Wallace lined up outside, Holmes in the slot, Miller the TE and Mendy in the backfield, and our first round linemen in front of Ben....The Greatest show on ...sloppy turf.

Oh please, oh please!

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"Dreith said I hit Sipe too hard. I hit him as hard as I could. Brian has a chance to go out of bounds and he decides not to. He knows I'm going to hit him. And I do. History."- - - Jack Lambert, after referee Ben Dreith ejected him from a game for knocking out Browns QB Brian Sipe.